Easy Lemon Lush

Get ready for the easiest, most crowd-pleasing dessert of your life! This Lemon Lush is incredibly quick to throw together, surprisingly light with its bright lemon flavor, and so deliciously flavorful that no one will guess it uses simple, store-bought shortcuts. It’s the dessert I’m most proud to bring to any gathering.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

My love for this recipe started in a small-town church kitchen in South Carolina, where a wise chef taught me that the best desserts don’t have to be complicated. She showed me how a few simple ingredients, like instant pudding and whipped topping, could be transformed into something magical. This Lemon Lush is a direct result of that lesson, and it has since become my family’s most-requested treat for every potluck and holiday, carrying with it the warmth of that first kitchen memory.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, plus more for your hands
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup (132g) sugar
• 2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant lemon pudding mix
• 3 cups cold milk, preferably whole
• 1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping, thawed in the refrigerator

Step-by-step instructions for making the recipe

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Make the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour and softened butter. Use a fork to mash them together until the mixture is crumbly. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared baking dish.
3. Lightly dust your hands with flour and firmly press the crumb mixture into an even layer across the bottom of the dish to form the crust.
4. Bake the crust for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack, for at least 1 hour.
5. Make the cream cheese layer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through. Spread this mixture gently over the cooled crust.
6. Make the pudding layer: In a clean mixer bowl, combine the instant lemon pudding mixes and cold milk. Mix on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes until thick and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure no powder remains. Pour and spread the pudding evenly over the cream cheese layer.
7. Finish with the whipped topping: Gently spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer, creating a smooth, final layer.
8. Cover the dessert and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. This chilling time is essential for clean slices. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Mia

Easy Lemon Lush

Get ready for the easiest, most crowd-pleasing dessert of your life! This Lemon Lush is incredibly quick to throw together, surprisingly light with its bright lemon flavor, and so deliciously flavorful that no one will guess it uses simple, store-bought shortcuts.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Chilling Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 426

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Crust

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g, plus more for dusting hands
• 2 sticks unsalted butter 8 ounces, softened

For the Cream Cheese Layer

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 2/3 cup sugar 132g

For the Pudding Layer

• 2 packages instant lemon pudding mix 3.4-ounce each
• 3 cups cold milk preferably whole milk

For the Topping

• 1 container whipped topping 8 ounces, thawed

Equipment

• 9×13-inch Baking Dish
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• Mixing Bowls

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.
   Nonstick cooking spray
2. Make the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour and softened butter. Use a fork to mash them together until the mixture is crumbly. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared baking dish.
   2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 sticks unsalted butter
3. Lightly dust your hands with flour and firmly press the crumb mixture into an even layer across the bottom of the dish to form the crust.
4. Bake the crust for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack, for at least 1 hour.
5. Make the cream cheese layer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through. Spread this mixture gently over the cooled crust.
   8 ounces cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar
6. Make the pudding layer: In a clean mixer bowl, combine the instant lemon pudding mixes and cold milk. Mix on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes until thick and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure no powder remains. Pour and spread the pudding evenly over the cream cheese layer.
   2 packages instant lemon pudding mix, 3 cups cold milk
7. Finish with the whipped topping: Gently spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer, creating a smooth, final layer.
   1 container whipped topping
8. Cover the dessert and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. This chilling time is essential for clean slices. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Fully soften the cream cheese to avoid a lumpy layer. Ensure the crust is completely cool before adding the cream cheese to prevent it from breaking. For best results, don’t skip the chilling time.

FAQ